Stop Glorifying Thieves, Treat them with Ignominy, Buhari Tells Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja admonished Nigerians to put paid to the attitude of celebrating corrupt people in the country but should rather treat such persons with dishonour.

Buhari, who made this remark Thursday night in his Sallah message to Muslims in commemoration of the end of Ramadan, urged “ordinary Nigerians to stop glorifying thieves by treating them with disdain for bringing hardships to others”.

The president’s message contained in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, also commended the families of the late Chief MKO Abiola, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe, who received national honours on Tuesday, saying they had shown good examples and encouraged other Nigerians to follow their examples.

“In this respect, President Buhari lauded the families of recipients of national honours for showing good examples to Nigerians and urged our country men and women to copy their good examples,” the statement added.

The statement added that Buhari enjoined religious leaders to always pray for peace and unity of the country and avoid making inflammatory utterances that can incite violence or promote conflicts. He also appealed to citizens to forgive one another and embrace peace.

It said the president thanked Nigerians for their patience thus far, assuring them that their sacrifices would not be in vain, explaining that his government was reforming the “country that was pushed into near decay on account of corruption comes with teething pains”.

He added: “But these pains are temporary, the APC administration which I am privileged to lead, is beholden to the ordinary Nigerians and will leave no stone unturned to make their security, welfare and happiness our priority.”

It further said the president advised religious leaders to pray for the peace and unity of the country and shun utterances capable of instigating violence and conflicts.

According to the statement, the president appealed to fellow citizens to forgive one another and embrace peace.

It also said the president thanked Nigerians for their patience and assured them that their sacrifices would not be in vain, adding that reforming a country that was pushed into near decay on account of corruption is tasking.

The statement quoted the president as saying that his government would leave no stone unturned to ensure that their security, welfare and happiness are its priority, admonishing them that the pain they go through at the moment is temporal.

“But these pains are temporary, the APC administration which I am privileged to lead, is beholden to the ordinary Nigerians and will leave no stone unturned to make their security, welfare and happiness our priority,” the president stated.

According to the statement, Buhari stressed the importance of putting the virtues of Islam into practice beyond the fasting season and congratulated Muslims on completing ”this spiritually significant month of sacrifice”.

It also said the president urged Muslims to reflect on the importance of Ramadan in becoming good ambassadors of Islam at all times, pointing out that “religion should be the moral compass for all believers in their public and personal lives”.